To all,more positive news.
FREMONT, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 11, 1998--
Cirrus Logic Delivers Total Cost of Ownership Graphics Solution
Cirrus Logic Inc. (NASDAQ:CRUS) today confirmed that IBM has
selected the Laguna3DA(tm) (CL-GD5465) graphics accelerator to power
the new line of IBM PC 300GL personal computers.
By utilizing the Laguna3DA's Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP)
capabilities and advanced TextureJet(tm) technology, IBM's new Pentium
II-based PC 300GL line delivers high-performance 2D/3D graphics for
today's sophisticated multimedia applications.
The Laguna3DA delivers high-quality 2D/3D graphics, which enables
OEMs, like IBM, to offer its customers PCs with excellent graphics
performance at competitive price points. In addition, this
high-performance graphics accelerator met all of IBM's
quality/performance benchmarks and enables the new PC 300GL line of
personal computers to provide the latest in AGP-based graphics.
"Today's announcement highlights our work with the market
research firm Gartner Group in developing a Total Cost of Ownership
(TCO) methodology," said George Alexy, chief products and marketing
officer in Cirrus Logic's Office of the President. "The fact that
Cirrus Logic is the first microperipheral vendor to provide products
that conform to standards such as 'TCO Best Practices' provides us
with a distinct advantage and played an important role in IBM's
selection of Laguna3DA."
TCO Standards
As a sponsor with distinctive competencies in microperipheral
component integration (graphics, audio, modems, etc.), Cirrus Logic
contributes to the TCO standard through its in-depth understanding of
PC hardware deployment technologies with process and management
practices that maximize functionality at minimum cost.
Such areas of "TCO Best Practices" include remote system set-up,
power management, hardware monitoring, electronic software
distribution, capacity planning, etc. Out of the nearly dozen TCO
workbench sponsors, Cirrus Logic is the only microperipheral vendor
participating in the Gartner Group research. In fact, Cirrus Logic has
already implemented this methodology into several of its controllers
thus, offering IT managers a distinct advantage in using systems with
the company's devices.
Laguna3DA And TextureJet
Cirrus Logic's Laguna3DA graphics engine employs the company's
advanced TextureJet(tm) technology. TextureJet offers a highly
efficient texture management solution that provides a high speed
bandwidth path between system memory and the graphics controller,
addressing the needs of today's demanding graphics applications. By
implementing a hardware texture manager and sophisticated AGP bus
mastering technology, TextureJet technology enables the Laguna3D
family of graphics controllers to display more complex graphics while
significantly reducing system overhead and cost.
Enhanced 3D Performance with RDRAM
The Laguna3D family leverages the bandwidth advantages of the
Rambus DRAM (RDRAM) technology. Rambus memories deliver over
600Mbytes-per-second memory bandwidth, yet are as affordable as
conventional DRAMs, making them ideal for high-bandwidth 3D personal
computer applications. RDRAMs use a high-speed, 8-bit-wide interface,
which minimizes the number of controller pins required for the memory
interface and allows the continued and cost-effective use of popular
208-pin packages.
Cirrus Logic
Cirrus Logic is a premier supplier of system-level integrated
circuits that depend on high-performance mixed-signal processing. The
company applies its system expertise to enable high-volume
applications in data storage, networking, and multimedia for both
computing and consumer electronics markets as well as
ultra-high-precision data acquisition applications for industrial
automation and instrumentation markets.
Additional information about Cirrus Logic and its subsidiaries
may be accessed on the World Wide Web at cirrus.com or via
fax-on-demand at 800/359-6414 (dial 510/249-4200 from outside the
United States).
-0-
Note to editors: All trademarks noted herein are registered to
their respective owners.
CONTACT:
Cirrus Logic Inc.
Steve Toteda, 510/226-2087 (reader contact)
toteda@corp.cirrus.com
or
Tsantes & Associates
Christian Bateman, 408/369-1500 x23 (editor contact)
chris@tsantes.com
KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA
BW1006 FEB 11,1998
======================================================================
Diamond Adopts Mpact 2 Media Processor For New Diamond DVD Kit
Mpact 2 Goes Mainstream Through Diamond's High-Volume Sales To
PC Manufacturers, Extensive Distribution Network and Retail
SUNNYVALE, Calif., Feb. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Media processors broke into the high-volume, mainstream PC market today with the announcement from Chromatic Research, Inc. and Diamond Multimedia Systems, Inc. that San Jose, CA-based Diamond Multimedia Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: DIMD) has adopted Mpact(TM) 2 media processor technology for its new Diamond DVD Kit, Model MC20.
Powered by the Mpact 2 media processor with "Mpact Mediaware for 3DVD" software -- the world's first single-chip 3D/2D graphics and DVD solution -- the Diamond DVD Kit, Model MC20 delivers a new class of DVD upgrade kits for PCs. The new product provides unprecedented value and functionality for gaming and entertainment by combining arcade-quality 3D graphics; high- performance 2D graphics; hardware-accelerated, home theater-quality DVD video; and DVD surround-sound audio, all in a single, low-cost kit.
Diamond will offer a complete graphics and DVD upgrade kit- including a single Mpact 2-based board with 4 MB Rambus(TM) RDRAM(R) memory, second- generation DVD-ROM drive, and software titles-for an estimated retail price of $299.95, comparable or lower in cost than DVD-only kits without 3D/2D graphics. The Diamond DVD Kit, Model MC20 is expected to be shipping in the second quarter of 1998.
Chromatic Research architects Mpact media processors and develops and sells Mpact Mediaware, LG Semicon, SGS-THOMSON and Toshiba co-develop, manufacture and sell Mpact media processors.
"We chose Mpact 2 media processor technology because it offers a compelling combination of integration, performance and value," said David Watkins, Vice President and General Manager of Diamond's Multimedia Division. "As a result, the Diamond DVD Kit, Model MC20 is a new class of product: a no- compromise, single solution for 3D/2D graphics and DVD priced for mainstream use."
"Quite frankly, this is the moment that everyone watching media processors has been waiting for, signaling that the second-generation Mpact 2 media processor is breaking into the mainstream," said John Monti, Vice President of Marketing, Chromatic Research. "Diamond has tremendous manufacturing, marketing, sales and support resources that will take Mpact 2 media processor technology into all areas of the PC business, from top-tier PC OEMs to VARs to retail upgrade kits."
Moving DVD Into Mainstream
Because the Mpact 2 media processor integrates complete, hardware- accelerated DVD video and audio and arcade-quality 3D/2D graphics acceleration in a single chip, the Diamond DVD Kit, Model MC20 enables DVD-ROM to move into the PC mainstream, including sub-$1,000 PCs, by eliminating the traditional cost of separate DVD accelerator chips, cards and drives. With the Diamond DVD Kit, Model MC20, PC manufacturers can now include a complete 3D/2D and DVD solution at little incremental cost on Windows(R) 95 and Windows 98 PCs when launched later this year.
PCs with DVD-ROM drives will be ready for a new wave of DVD-ROM based games, entertainment and edutainment titles expected in 1998, in addition to playing Hollywood DVD movies available today.
3D/2D Graphics Features
The Mpact 2 media processor, available from LG Semicon, SGS-THOMSON and Toshiba, is a multitasking "supercomputer on a chip" capable of performing six billion operations per second and equipped with the features required for heavy-duty graphics processing:
-- 500 MFLOPS (Millions of Floating Point Operations Per Second) set-up engine to define polygon points and their color spaces.
-- Dedicated texture cache that provides the 3D rendering engine with ultra-fast access to the most often-used textures.
-- 1.3 GB/second memory bandwidth using concurrent Rambus RDRAM memory.
As a result, the Diamond DVD Kit, Model MC20 offers advanced 3D and 2D graphics features, including:
-- Complete support for all Microsoft Direct3D features, including bilinear and trilinear texture filtering, perspective texture correction, edge anti-aliasing, specular highlighting, and alpha blending, mip-mapping, double- buffering and Z-buffering;
-- Up to 1600 x 1200 resolution;
-- Up to 200 Hz refresh rate;
-- and up to 16.7 million colors.
DVD Features
The Mpact 2 media processor with Mpact Mediaware for 3DVD also provides a complete, hardware-accelerated solution for DVD, enabling the Diamond DVD Kit, Model MC20 to provide:
-- Full-screen, 30 frame-per-second, MPEG-2 video, even at maximum DVD bit rate;
-- Six-channel Dolby Digital(TM) audio decoding using SRS TruSurround(TM) for virtual surround-sound playback from two ordinary PC speakers;
-- Advanced post-processing for the crispest, brightest DVD video available on a PC;
-- Dynamic, high-quality scaling of video window;
-- Hardware-accelerated MPEG-1 decoding with VideoCD 2.0 compatibility, and more.
Mpact Media Processor Technology
Mpact media processors are low-cost, supercomputer-like chips that work in conjunction with an X86/MMX CPU to provide virtually any combination of high- performance multimedia functions. Functionality is determined by specialized software, called Mpact Mediaware modules, that run simultaneously on the Mpact media processor and CPU.
Chromatic Research
Chromatic Research is the leader in media processing technology and the world's first "chipless" semiconductor company. Based on a unique business model, the company's semiconductor partners LG Semicon, SGS-THOMSON and Toshiba co-develop, manufacture and sell Chromatic-architected Mpact media processors while Chromatic Research develops and sells the enabling Mpact Mediaware software. Customers include Compaq, Gateway 2000, Micron Electronics, Diamond, STB and Leadtek. Founded in 1993, the company is privately held. For more information on Chromatic Research or Mpact, please visit www.chromatic.com or www.mpact.com.
Diamond Multimedia
Diamond Multimedia is driving the interactive multimedia market by providing advanced solutions for home, business and professional desktop computer users, enabling them to create, access and experience compelling new media content from their desktops and through the Internet. Diamond accelerates multimedia from the Internet to the hard drive with products that include the Stealth and Viper(R) series of media accelerators, the Monster series of entertainment 3D and sound accelerators, the Fire series of professional 3D and SCSI accelerators, and the Supra(R) series of modems. Diamond also markets DVD and video phone kits. Diamond's common stock is traded on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol DIMD, and its web site address is www.diamondmm.com.
LG Semicon
LG Semicon can be reached at www.lgsemicon.co.kr/company.
SGS-THOMSON
SGS-THOMSON can be reached at www.st.com.
Toshiba
Toshiba America Electronic Components can be reached at www.toshiba.com/taec.
Chromatic Research is a registered trademark of Chromatic Research, Inc. The Chromatic Research logo and Mpact are trademarks or registered trademarks of Chromatic Research, Inc.
Other marks referenced herein are the property of their respective owners.
SOURCE Diamond Multimedia Systems, Inc.
CO: Diamond Multimedia Systems, Inc.; Chromatic Research
ST: California
IN: CPR MLM ADV
SU: PDT
02/10/98 14:33 EST prnewswire.com |
